Across Time and Space
by soulcage
Summary: There were many worlds, diverging timelines running in parallel with each other. Countless "What if's." It was at one certain point in history that Archer arrived in Chaldea, his past long behind him. However, a familiar face creates a ripple in that long forgotten past. EmiyaxLancerArturia.


**This is just a small request I did for someone as the idea intrigued me quite a bit.**

**To avoid confusion, I used Emiya rather than EMIYA all caps as it looked weird to me while writing. Hope it doesn't bother anyone.**

**I do not own anything related to the Fate franchise.**

* * *

A dull sound rang out as a black blade clashed with a steel-like carapace. Tiny sparks flew from the point of contact as the impact resounded throughout the space. After a split second the blade let go, leaving a vulnerable crack behind on the unearthly shell.

There was a tiny interval where lull came over the battlefield as the blade tore through the air. It spun along with its twin which contrasted its dark nature in the arms of a white haired man with tanned skin.

The hit managed to give the Heroic Spirit, Emiya, momentum to launch upward several feet into the air with a vertical flipping motion. The terrible cry of an insectoid creature chased after his fleeting visage, but his expression remained as calm as ever.

In a near perfect sequence, three arrows flew from his bow at a near invisible speed and hit three noticeable cracks across the creature's body which had accumulated from the marksman's previous assaults. Those arrows hit their mark with frightening precision. They slipped through the gaps and penetrated the soft flesh within.

While Emiya rolled through the air and landed on his feet, the large insect gave a shrill cry before falling to the ground dead.

But a second unpleasant noise interrupted his concentration. The ground shifted and trembled under his feet. It gradually got louder and heavier. Emiya could see the entire field and the forest next to it rock up and down. Something large approached from beneath the earth.

It took only a second until he found what it was, or rather, until it found him.

There was a large burst which split the ground next to him wide open. Taken by surprise, he could not react in time as another large insect, one that resembled a centipede this time, emerged from the hole and lunge its long, upper body towards him. But, before even that could happen, a flash of white sped past him from the corner of his eyes.

A great lance ripped through the surrounding space to greet the monster. A knight and their steed darted through the battlefield swifter than the wind. The gap was shortened in just an instant. A pale light glowed and covered the lance with energy as it impaled the thick armor of the centipede.

Blown away through sheer force, the last of the creature fell a great distance away. Its sharp appendages stopped moving.

The trees all around shuddered from the great weight and sounds of birds crying and fleeing their nests filled the landscape. The grotesque sight could make anyone shudder, but thankfully the oddities vanished into the earth as if losing the magic which kept their existence.

Archer watched as the gallant knight swung aside her faithful lance, Rhongomyniad, casually to flick off the residual mire which came from the monster. The glowing energy which spun around across its body receded. As always, he found himself staring in awe of her beautiful figure.

Arturia stroke Dun Stallion's neck as she praised its bravery. Her blonde hair flowed gently with the wind.

"You have my gratitude, Lancer." The tan-skinned Archer approached from the side. Free of his usual red shroud, his bare arms were stricken by traces of dirt which he immediately cleaned off before showing himself to the lady. He forced a smile and spoke in a respectable tone.

From behind, he saw the braided bun of the blonde King of Knights. Her posture up on her saddle was perfectly straight. Her expertise with the lance and her riding never ceased to impress him.

She turned his way. The sea green color of her eyes caught his line of sight immediately. Though he tried his best to hide it, a subtle hint of nostalgic sentiment bubbled up from underneath the layer of his mind, which he immediately tried to cast away. That face, although now more mature and collected, was enough to bring out old memories. Though it was a time in the far distant past, small bits and pieces of it still flashed in his mind like small painted collages whenever he was near her. He tucked those sentiments in the back of his mind for now knowing that they amount to nothing here. She was simply Lancer, Arturia Pendragon, wielder of the holy lance. In historical terms, they had no connection with each other. They were both just Servants of Chaldea.

"I was merely doing my duty, Emiya," she replied with a hint of fondness in her smile when she faced him. Indeed, though she was a different person from that other one, she was still a close comrade nonetheless. "Are you perhaps hurt anywhere?"

The man relaxed. The tension in his muscles from fighting released as if responding to her inquiry. It might be the tone of her voice managed to incur a sense of peace within him. "Not at all, though I do feel a bit rusty as of late." He forced a smile. "Master has not called upon me for missions in a while until now."

"In that case, why not have a sparring session with me again once we return to Chaldea?" Though much of her facial expression remained cool, there was a sparkle hiding underneath Arturia's eyes , eager for another chance to have a bout with the skilled Archer. Although she kept a dignified appearance most of the time, it was when the conversation turned into talk of training and sparring that she showed her somewhat childish persona.

He let out a stiff smile, hiding his reluctance at the proposal but not wanting to dissuade her. Mock battles were perfectly fine with him, but the problem came when things take a grotesque turn and suddenly the spar turns into an all-out battle due to their competitive disposition, this was from his previous sessions with her. Archer wanted to avoid troublesome situations like that. Being the polite gentleman that he was, his answer was neither approval nor rejection. "I shall… think about it."

But the adult King of Knights didn't seem to notice this, in fact, she thought he was just being bashful. "Good, now that this area is clear, shall we be off then and inform Master?"

Emiya agreed. Much as he liked to explore this land, his duty right now was to assist the Chaldea party and his Master.

They set forth out of the wooded area overlooking a great meadow spanning a great distance. With all the abnormal creatures brought on by a distortion in space gone, the landscape became a serene fantasy land filled with wildlife. Rivers flowed from across the vista.

Arturia remarked at how such beauty resembled the countryside of her domain, and Emiya inquired on the subject. Walking side-by-side, the Lancer and the Archer exchanged comments, observations, and thoughts. Sometimes they would look back on past Singularities and battles which took place in a similar setting. The two desired not to rush for some reason as they made their way to the camp site.

Times of peace like this was rare, and opportunities to fight alongside the Archer were even rarer, noted the woman. They were part of the responsible group in Chaldea. Many of the staff and younger Heroic Spirits always looked to them for advice. The Archer, especially, was handy with common work like cooking that people come to him all the time for requests. As such, they always found themselves preoccupied by one thing or another.

But at this place and at this time, the two walked together on a grassy path. Arturia had an archive of things she wanted to ask him now that they were on the same mission. He was the usual person she confided in after all. Not many Servants in Chaldea had a grounded view like Emiya.

"I see that your horsemanship is excellent as usual, o King." Emiya remarked all of a sudden, snapping her back to reality.

Glancing at him, she saw his mouth don a playful smile. Keeping Dun Stallion's pace at a walk, the blonde woman seemed to not take that compliment well. "Emiya, if you are trying to tease me, then I urge you to desist. My handling is not at the level to be praised like that, so please banish that idea."

"It's the truth. I think you're breath… I mean, I think you rode him well, especially in battle." The man caught himself saying something he shouldn't and corrected himself almost immediately, though whether the lady noticed this was up for imagination.

"T-Thank you, but even so, my riding is no more exceptional than that of a normal knight." Arturia felt an odd warmth drawing up to her face from atop her mount, but the Archer was too focused on hiding his expression from her to notice.

Them sharing casual exchanges and smiling at each other, there was a time when such an event could be considered a dream.

The past had not always been so peaceful.

* * *

Fujimaru Ritsuka stood inside the Chaldea summoning room.

A bright, piercing light flickered in and out from the circle at the center. The air in the surrounding space grew hot as the light gradually expanded to fill the room until not a single inch of darkness was left.

"Archer-class Servant," said a monotonous voice coming out of the spectacle. "I have been summoned…" Crimson red cloth flapped at the dispersing winds which had gathered from the sudden materialization.

The white haired man opened his eyes and found himself in a foreign place as the light receded. The young man which stood in front approached and gave him a warm welcome that he did not expect. So this was going to be his new Master, a young man who bore no semblance of a magus, he measured.

"I hope we get along." With an optimistic smile on his face, Ritsuka shook the Archer's hand.

"Likewise," replied the tall man.

The air between them was stiff as they exchanged brief words. Ritsuka couldn't point out exactly why that was. It just seemed that there was a rueful aura about the man. He did not exude an air of a mighty hero from a past life, but one that was punished gravely. Archer's silence caught Ritsuka's attention. As they left the summoning room to talk about the current situation, he could not help but notice the Servant's aloof nature. He only made few remarks whenever Ritsuka talked about the place or pointed out specifics about Chaldea, though he chalked it off to them just being newly acquainted.

As the halls passed them by, many Heroic Spirits greeted them and exchanged small talk, but Archer was unconcerned about that. He looked detached as he got addressed by wandering eyes. Ritsuka would always glance up at him to try and read what the other was thinking.

In truth, he was not a difficult Servant to deal with. He was agreeable, knew the difficulties of Holy Grail Wars, Ritsuka found out from him, and didn't show signs of dissenting.

From then on, Ritsuka called upon him a number of times to Rayshift. He might not have been as talkative as Shuuten or Robin Hood, but he was still a dependable ally. Many times he played a crucial role in their battles, and even saving Ritsuka from disaster. Yet the Archer still felt terribly out of reach.

Archer always followed Ritsuka's lead. Unbeknownst to the Master, things were different for this Servant. He pondered on the fact heavily that he had not been summoned for a Holy Grail War but for something else. The mission weighed down heavily on him, not just because of the gravity of the situation but how little it diverged from his original mission as someone who made a contract with the world.

Regardless, Chaldea had a simplistic goal: To prevent the incineration of history.

Yet again, there was a battle he had to face.

Yet again, there was bloodshed to be had.

He did not forsake the importance of the mission. On the contrary, he readily accepted it as if it was the natural order of things. Having seen countless wars and having executed numerous evils, he felt that this was no different from his previous undertaking. It made no difference to him either way. He had long already accepted this kind of fate he would be subjected to.

Chaldea wasn't a strict organization. In fact, he thought it was actually quite lax. Heroic Spirits were roaming around freely as if there were no restraints around them. He found it odd. Either the Master was too young to reign in his Servants, or he was just too reckless. Perhaps it was both.

But even still, he continued to be apathetic to it all. The contract which bound him was the only thing he cared about, and he was going to carry out what was expected of him.

It already had been a few months since Ritsuka had summoned Archer, and still he felt his curiosity tugged by the Servant's detached persona, so much so that that when they went on their next mission, he decided to bring it up.

It was a perfectly still night. Underneath the stars were the Chaldea team sitting around a fire.

The young man was sitting on a dry log when his glance turned towards the man with the grey hair.

"Hey, Archer," he called out. "Don't you think it's about time?"

That question seemed to pique the Servant's interest. "Yes, Master?"

As always, Ritsuka was met by that formal tone, which he didn't like so much. "Don't you think it's about time you told me your True Name?"

A sigh escaped the mysterious man's lips. His hollow gaze turned back to the flickering embers of the fire between them. "We've gone through this already, Master. I am not a formal Heroic Spirit. Unlike the others, I did not achieve anything great during my life to be etched in history. Therefore, you need not concern about my True Name. Knowing about it won't help us in our mission. It won't provide you with any sort of advantage whatsoever."

"Hmmm…." Ritsuka leaned his face in to his hands to get closer to the fire as he pondered for a while. "Then what if it's to learn more about a friend? You don't have to be some great hero for me to want to know your identity. Of course, if you really don't want to, then that's fine, but it's kinda hard to call you Archer when there are ton of Archers in Chaldea."

The Servant stared at that goofy smile he was faced with. And for a moment, he was unreadable until he let out a soft sigh. "You may call me Emiya then."

Ritsuka chuckled at that show of reluctance, which only made the Servant smile wryly.

"You are a strange Master, Ritsuka."

"Really? I think you are the strange one, Emiya."

The fire crackled at their conversation. The sounds of insects buzzing in the distance joined in on them. Neither one seemed to feel uncomfortable anymore with the other's prying.

"Were you not proud of what you did during your life?" inquired the young man.

That made Emiya think for a moment as the stars above drew his gaze. It was a difficult question, he thought. "I lived a life full of regrets, Master. Yes, I was not exactly proud of it. There were many mistakes I did leading up to me becoming a Counter Guardian. There was never a minute when I didn't think about my actions and what could have been had I not been so careless."

"That severe, huh?"

"Yes, sometimes I even consider killing my past self if I ever get the chance."

"Whoaa…"

"I'm kidding, Master." The man let out a playful smile.

"I-I hope you are." Ritsuka shirked in his seat, not sure whether to take Emiya's words seriously or not.

"Of course," replied the Servant as he stared into the fire once again. The blaze which reflected in his eyes looked like a familiar image. "Chaldea has taught me a lot. It feels like fate that I ended up here at this point in time to correct all history. Though you are far too kind of a Master to be thinking about your Servants a lot, it would be a mistake to not see it as a talent of yours. If not for your kindness, I don't think we would have ever gotten this far."

"What do you mean?" Those words were not so easily deciphered when Ritsuka heard it. He knew full well how lacking he was as a magus and a Master, so his only choice was to rely on his Servants and learn about them as much as he could. It was obvious that he would treat them the same he would treat any other human being.

"Listen, Ritsuka," started Emiya in a stern voice. "I am your senior in terms of experience, so try to grasp what I tell you from here on out."

The young man nodded, eager that this was the first time he was going to get a lesson from a former Master, and at the same time, eager that Emiya was willingly taking a mentoring role.

"Bonds shouldn't be underestimated. It's true that you have lackluster talent as a magus, and so you have no choice but to improve your teamwork with your Servants," Emiya's voice carried a lot of weight. "But don't forget that we are always relying on you as well to bring out the best of us. If you earn more of a Servant's trust, you'll be able to find potential that you couldn't see before. That's why, don't lose that kindness no matter what, got it?"

"Yeah, thanks for telling me that, Emiya. I'll work even harder now," replied the Master. He was glad that Emiya affirmed his approach and even solidifying it. The road ahead was still long, so he hoped to grow even further with help from his Servant. That must be why he said those words next.

"And I'll make sure you forget about all those regrets as well!"

Words escaped Emiya for a moment. This, too, was a form of kindness Ritsuka was known for having. "Then I'll be looking forward to it, Master."

He didn't know for sure whether that time would actually come. His sorrow and regrets for having such immature ideals led him to a path of bloodshed. They won't fade so easily. Yet he couldn't help but hope that this Master might be his shining beacon.

Indeed, he thought, if anyone else could do it, Ritsuka might just be the one to open up a path for him.

An indiscernible amount of time passed since then as Emiya busied himself with instructing the young Master.

He was so absorbed each day in training Ritsuka to better improve himself that he was thrown into disarray when a certain event occurred. There was nothing that could have prepared him for what happened.

They were in the summoning room yet again. The light this time was oddly intense, almost blinding in fact that Ritsuka, Archer, Mash and other Servants who came to watch had no choice but to shield their eyes. A cold wind wafted around the space and sent a chill across the Archer's skin.

It was when the light started to subside that a clear voice, one full of authority and resolve, called out towards the young man. "I have responded to your summons. I am your Servant, Lancer…"

Emiya saw armor of pure white and a horse donning a similar set. Above that picturesque representation of knighthood was a lion's mane crowning its head as if showing that the title of leadership was theirs alone. But more than that, the voice he heard could not be mistaken. It had a more mature tone to it, but he was already certain of his assumption.

The figure straddling on top of the warhorse climbed down and walked forward to greet the young man, lance in hand. At this point, it was already obvious that it was a woman whose voice rang in the room. "So, are you my Master?" She asked, her voice ringing inside her helmet.

"Yes, I am," replied Ritsuka. He turned his head to the side. "Isn't this good, Emiya? It seems I summoned a strong one- Huh? Emiya?" The reliable Heroic Spirit disappeared before he knew it, which left him puzzled and looking around frantically.

"Are you referring to the one standing beside you when I was summoned? I caught a glimpse of him before he went into his Spirit Form," said the knight. Her expression was concealed, so Ritsuka couldn't see what she looked like. "I will bring him back shortly. Please wait here."

"E-Eh? But… wait, Lancer!" Ritsuka shouted, but the knight suddenly sped past him at breakneck speed before he could say anything further.

The halls of Chaldea were a narrow passage which led to many different rooms. Emiya had stopped at one of the spacious areas at the outer edge where the snowy landscape was in full view through a large window which stretched from floor to ceiling. His empty stare gave no direction to where his attention was. It was as if he was idly looking at a picture that wasn't there.

"Why did you suddenly leave?" A voice suddenly interrupted the dream-like state his consciousness had submerged in. The white knight suddenly appeared from the corner and walked with a leisure stride towards the black and crimson man.

Emiya turned to the newcomer, the snow falling behind the glasswork next to him. His sharp gaze caught details of the armor through the dim illumination this lounge provided. Those colors and those patterns seemed to spark certain feelings inside of him, feelings that he thought he had shoved away long ago. Even though he had faced so many battles since then, even though he had been through countless hells, that scene appeared in his mind once more. The image of a gentle light coming from the moon making strands of blonde hair glow so beautifully that it captivated him flashed in his mind for a brief instant. Emotions were carefully hidden beneath his face as he replied, "It's… nothing. Do not concern yourself over it."

The knight seemed to look down at that, though Archer could not say for certain if she thought she was being alienated, or felt anything at all. "I see…"

"You…" Emiya's voice seemed drawn out with a tinge of hesitation. "… just resemble someone I once knew."

The helmet tilted upwards once more as if to gaze at him. "But you do not look at all like someone I might know. From your appearance, you look far off from being a knight. You do not look like a mage from my time either. I see no possibility of us ever being at the same place and at the same time."

That voice rang in his mind mercilessly, creating a rift in his heart that made him lament over what he had just said. He didn't know what he was expecting. It should have been obvious that this person was not the one he knew, so it was best not to bring that topic at this point. Or that was what he thought…

"But…"

Emiya watched as the knight reached for her helmet with both hands at either side, lifting it up along with the great mane which draped her back. The light which reflected off of the snowy landscape reached their place and grazed the blonde hair that was unveiled. Her green eyes seemed to light up from the shade of the lounge's walls. He felt his heart starting to race as he finally caught sight of her face, mature from age yet still very much beautiful nonetheless. It gave birth to something inside of him that he was once thought he had lost. It was immature yet completely natural if one were to face that nostalgic beauty once more.

"There is a feeling in the back of my mind telling me that you are a trustworthy fellow." She added, her lips forming a small smile as Archer's eyes widened. "My name is-"

"Ah! There you two are!" cried out a familiar voice. "I've been looking everywhere for you two."

"My apologies, Master." The lancer turned around, which surprised Ritsuka from the sight of the beauty.

Arturia introduced herself formally to everyone and was given a warm welcome. There was a small party held by the Servants at the cafeteria. As they indulged in their merriment, Emiya simply stood by the sidelines, content on taking a minor role in the affair. He was not about the spoil everything with his personal issues. He decided from then on to leave the past behind, leave all the regrets that he had built up, and devote himself to humanity's salvation once more. No more was he going to lay blame on past deeds, instead, he will focus on the future to protect Ritsuka, all of Chaldea, and especially the king whose memories carried not a single strand of his existence.

* * *

The King of Knights had easily adjusted with the way things worked around the organization.

Having taken part in several Rayshifts herself, she had gotten a good grasp on the situation, easily weaving into battle alongside Servants from different time periods distant from hers.

But for some strange reason, she kept turning her gaze towards a certain man wielding a bow, whose role seemed to be to watch other peoples' backs from a distance as he sent down arrows at their enemies. The precision and marksmanship he displayed was truly a deadly one that she was glad such a competent Heroic Spirit was within Chaldea's ranks.

If not for his haphazard recklessness, she would have thought he was a regal man.

But that was not the case. In desperate situations during their campaigns, he was always the one going on ahead without waiting for help to assist others from leaving harm's way, even if it meant putting himself in danger. He acted on his own accord, leaving behind most of the party when he knew that swift action was in dire need.

Those acts made the Lancer scowl. Perhaps looking at it from another perspective, they were selfless and admirable. Perhaps they alluded to his heroic persona. But no matter how bold he was, it fell out of line with the oneness of the entire Chaldea team. That could lead to a disaster she would rather not witness.

With that reason in mind, she decided to confront him during a night of respite in one singularity.

"Archer, I would like to have a word with you." She stepped forward out of earshot from the rest of the party. Her face contained a glare which described how displeased she was in his lack of conduct. "I do not know what kind of Heroic Spirit you are, but do not be so brash and take situations into your own hands all the time."

The nightly breeze combed through the Archer's ruffled hair. His appearance had changed drastically since they first met, she noted. Not to mention his attitude grew looser as time went on. She didn't know if he was like that originally, but she had a different impression of him before. It's like the times have made him change.

"Is that so? I'm sorry then," replied the Archer. His expression lacked any concern for what she was trying to convey.

Arturia obviously did not take that apology so easily. "Archer… I thought that we could be good comrades, but it seems I was mistaken."

"Do not worry yourself over such matters. I am simply treating you the way I would treat anybody else, Lancer. This is just how I do things." He turned his back on her. Though close she was in resembling someone he knew dearly, that was simply a fragment of his memories he decided to overcome. Now was no longer the time to be sentimental about those days, now was his opportunity to sculpt a future for himself in Chaldea alongside his Master.

She could only watch as the man returned to his spirit form, no doubt taking a scouting role to observe the camp's surroundings.

"Archer…" spoke the king towards no one. She had the feeling something akin to contempt was being steadily formed around her.

As the battles raged on and increased in difficulty, she observed how harsh Archer's attitude and mentoring of Ritsuka became. It was perhaps due to the air of inevitable final battle ahead hanging over the horizon that he was starting to push the young man even more to surpass his limits.

She could not forget the day where the last straw finally snapped.

The sound of steel clanging against another resounded in the training hall.

Swift, optimal movements slashed through the air against that of sluggish, unrefined counters. It was a battle between a seasoned warrior against an amateur.

Emiya swung his twin blades in mercilessly towards Ritsuka, whose only weapon was a normal two handed sword, a weapon carrying an edge and ability to kill if only he had the aptitude to use it well. But even supposing he did, Emiya's advantage was a given.

It took only a short moment before the young Master was pushed back and hit in various places with blunt strikes from a handle or a kick. He tried to follow the Servant's movements with his eyes as much as he could with the extent of his ability, but the way he moved was like a raging twister that didn't give him any opportunity to strike.

"What's wrong, Master? You've been dawdling for a while," challenged the Archer. "Keep your guard up even when your arms are tired. If you don't attack, nothing will come out of this training."

"Right!" shouted the amateur even though his stamina was steadily being pelted away by consecutive attacks such that bruises covering his skin were innumerable. And even with him being overwhelmed, Ritsuka still didn't complain.

Attacks from the Archer never ceased. They were caught a number of times by that steel sword but most got through.

A quick kick suddenly jabbed at the young man's stomach, knocking the air from him and sending him flying a short distance back. There was a cry of pain that escaped from his lips as his back crashed against the floor before his entire body bounced like a rag doll from the momentum.

Emiya leapt forward with Kanshou raised up high to deliver downward blow.

All sound suddenly disappeared until a dull sound cut off the deadly descent that was meant to knock the Master out.

"That is enough, Archer." Arturia pointed her sacred lance to parry the incoming blade, shielding herself and the young man from the incoming attack. "Master will not learn a thing from your rough treatment of him."

Those twin blades dissipated into air once Emiya landed on his feet in front of the two. His eyes directed their serious gaze at her. "Master will learn nothing if we always kept him out of reach of battle. It's best if we give him practical combat skills so that he can defend himself and raise his abilities as a Master."

The King of Knights drew her weapon to point it forwards. "While I understand where you are coming from, I also believe your methods are too extreme. What will you do if Master becomes too wounded to continue? You cannot just rely on the healing abilities of other Servants to fix him up like it's a small matter. He is not some machine that can be repaired in a single night."

"You are too soft, Lancer." Emiya replied with an annoyed tone in his voice. "If you baby Ritsuka too much, he'll never improve."

"You're in no room to talk, you false hero," retaliated the blonde. Her green eyes showed ferocity enough to frighten even a lion.

The environment around them turned hostile in a blink of an eye. The Archer stared down at the mature Lancer while she stood imposingly, keeping herself in front of her contractor and the enigmatic Servant.

Sensing such animosity growing in front of his eyes, Fujimaru Ritsuka stood up and hastily placed him right in the middle of the two powerful Heroic Spirits.

"Alright, that's enough, you two! You're both acting like children here." He spread his arms wide as if making a barrier in between them. "Seriously, what's been happening between you two? Why have you become so spiteful with each other?"

Arturia's gaze fell down with shame and remorse from hearing those words. "I apologize, Master. I just could not take Archer's ruthlessness any longer. You have always given it everything you have in your role as Master yet he always treats you harshly as if none of your efforts were worthy."

Emiya turned away from the two, keeping his expression neutral. "You are right, Ritsuka. We were being uncouth." He started walking in the direction of the exit. "Sorry. Training ends here for today."

The two fell silent as he left the premises. Arturia turned to Ritsuka and offered to take him to the infirmary to get him checked out, which he took albeit feeling uneasy from that previous exchange. But there were a number of places in his body which hurt unbearably, so he didn't delay the trip any longer.

Ritsuka ended up being greeted by Nightingale, who immediately shot him a murderous look after noticing the disorder in his training uniform. Not even a minute had elapsed when his entire torso had been wrapped in bandages. Even his head was not safe from being wrapped with the material. The young man questioned at the sheer volume of it all since the training had incurred only bruises.

"Arturia," started the young man once they were left alone in the room. He was lying on the bed to rest as advised by the head nurse while the Lancer Servant sat herself beside him. "Don't be so hard on him."

Those kind words snapped her out of the deep thoughts she had, most likely thinking about the Servant in question. The look of concern she had made itself known as she replied, "But… I cannot just accept Archer's way of doing things. There is no way that man could be right."

As always, Ritsuka looked carefree despite looking like he had just finished an entire Singularity. "He means well. I admit that I'm not the best magus out there, and my combat prowess is only subpar at best, so I am glad for the opportunity to train and face danger head on. Otherwise, I won't be able to overcome the challenges ahead."

"Still…" Arturia tried to grasp for the right words to reinforce her argument but found it arduous.

"Why not try to understand him a bit more?" suggested Ritsuka. "I know every Heroic Spirit has their own difficult history, but his is a special case. He might be acting this way because of his experience in a past Holy Grail War that he took part in."

A special case, those words echoed in her. It's true, everyone there came from different backgrounds, but only he had become a Master in his previous life. She didn't know what kind of hell he had experienced at that time for him to take drastic measures. But even so, everyone of the Servants here had come to face their own hells, even herself.

After several minutes, she left him so that he could he relax.

The king strode through the halls, encountering different people, some coming to greet her and some not quite acknowledging her presence. But they dwindled in time as she wandered aimlessly for who knows how long.

Chaldea was filled with lots of colorful people, she had learned. It was not difficult to meet another king or another warrior of renown. She continued to acquire knowledge of things she couldn't even imagine. But still, only one person ever managed to give her enough trouble.

Before she knew it, the majority of Chaldea had turned in for the night, leaving the halls mostly empty. And just as she was about to head for her quarters as well, her stomach complained to her for some food.

As if to emphasize the transition, lights were kept at the minimum. Arturia noticed how the passages turned dim as she made her way towards the cafeteria despite knowing that there will be no staff to provide some much needed provisions. She was however aware that the small storage area was still open for anyone up this late to use.

An aroma suddenly caught her attention as she neared the entrance. It tickled her nose and enticed her will like a magic spell.

Steam propagating in the area and the sound of sizzling was noticeable once she got closer.

When she turned to look at the source, she found the familiar back of Archer as he labored in front of a hot stove. He must have been too engrossed in his cooking to not notice her come in and take a spot close to the cooking area. Her eyes were fully engrossed at the practiced motions the man displayed as he worked that she forgot why she had gone in there in the first place.

After Emiya turned off the heat and readied a plate, the Lancer's stomach suddenly let out an immense growled due to the savory aroma. Fear and embarrassment took her as she meaninglessly tried to hide herself. It was for naught since Archer had already noticed her while holding a plate of fried rice topped with ingredients she could hardly define. Steam wafted throughout the area as he brought it to her, placing it on a countertop, which not only surprised her but also made her stomach more restless.

"A-A-Are you not going to eat that?" she asked in disbelief when the man left to go get ingredients from a shelf.

"Go right ahead, I'll just cook another batch." His voice was so casual. It's as if their hostility had vanished without a trace.

The King of Knights could not bother recalling their earlier confrontation to deny herself of the chance to eat the delicacy made by the troublesome Archer. Her body had moved on its own and retrieved the necessary utensils form close by. In just a moment, she was happily eating a meal amidst the quiet cafeteria.

Her troubles suddenly disappeared as if they were never there in the first place. The warm, hearty meal which Archer prepared was out of this world, she admitted. She couldn't remember the last time she had something so delicious.

Emiya watched from the side as the blonde held the plate with her hand as she took spoonfuls into her mouth one after another. The very picture made him fall silent. He did not know the reason why he sighed right then, a smile forming on his lips as he went back to the stove to get to work once more.

"You are right, I have been rough on Ritsuka for a while," he said with his back to her. "I just couldn't help but dread the day he might lose with the way things are."

Arturia set the spoon down and looked thoughtful. "I'm… also at fault for keeping him sheltered. Though it is hard for me to admit it, you did have the best intentions in mind."

"No, I was completely out of line. You were the one who was in the right."

"Archer, I said I was the one to be reprimanded here…"

Just as they began staring down at each other once more with a fierce look in their eyes, their mouths suddenly broke into a fit of laughter. The surrounding space echoed with their gleeful voices. The mood suddenly lit up, and Emiya joined the blonde for a meal.

"But this is quite a surprise, Archer. I did not know you could cook so well," she praised with genuine surprise in her voice after finding a different side to this mysterious Heroic Spirit.

The white-haired man watched her fondly as if remembering an event similar to this one in a distant land. "It's just a hobby I picked up. But I am glad you liked it."

Not a minute later, silence came over their table as each one fiddled with their own thoughts. It seemed that both sides had their own worlds to make known but could not exactly convey them to the other for some reason.

Arturia glanced up. "You've mentioned before that I resemble someone you knew. Is that the reason why you have been distant towards me?"

There was a brief moment when he had difficulty constructing his words. "That might be the reason. I apologize for that is a matter that has nothing to do with this time period, just pure selfishness on my part. It was troubling me, for I did not know how to act around you, whether or not I should be overly familiar or simply act cold."

"Why is that?" Arturia felt a small weight lifted from her now that she found the reason, but at the same time, she grew curious on Emiya's side of things.

"Because that person…" Emiya paused for a second, trying to unravel what he was about to say. "Was undoubtedly a person identical to you in nearly every way, albeit childish at times, if you get what I mean by that."

The woman nodded silently. Beneath her expression lay the understanding that worlds beyond this one existed.

"She held a significant position in my heart. No words could describe how much she changed my life. You could even say that she is the reason why I am here now," said Emiya with a distant look.

"That person means a lot to you, yes?"

"Indeed." He breathed in. The journey he had undertook felt like a long time. So many things happened to him, yet that day was burned into his retinas. "Looking at you only helped stoke those feelings even more. But I know full well that I should not be distracted by such idle thoughts. And most of all, I should not let the past become a wall to dissociate me from you. I'm fully prepared to walk over the past now. I am indeed sorry, Lancer."

She peered at her reflection from the water surface in the cup she held. Her thoughts led her to imagining what that woman was like to have left such an impact on him. "It is a strange thing, isn't it? The Servant Summoning System that is."

Emiya remained silent.

"We are able to meet like this and even meet people which resemble ourselves. I would not be surprised if we even meet another version of me, perhaps one that remained young. Maybe there is even a version of you out there with completely different values." Her eyes looked thoughtful. Though it was small, she felt a connection with him that crossed time and space. It was a wondrous phenomenon that created a bridge between her and Archer. She felt her understanding of him steadily growing. "Archer, I might be wrong to presume this, but do you wish to forget all about her?"

"I… Yes, I am. I won't allow the past to hinder my life here in Chaldea." He locked eyes with her, though it was difficult for him.

Arturia smiled. "I see… It is not in my position to give advice to you, but I think that you should cherish those memories. After all, they are a part of you, and because of them you were able to meet everyone here at Chaldea. It would be a shame to leave them all behind."

He looked at her beautiful features, astonished in every sense of the word. "I've never thought of it like that…"

Content, Arturia went back to taking large bites of her food happily while Emiya merely smiled and decided to set aside those heavy thoughts for now.

As their meal continued with a calming silence, Arturia pondered on whether she should ask him now about what dawned on her but couldn't bring up her courage to do so. Archer seemed to notice the trouble she was subjecting herself, so he suddenly stopped eating.

"Is there something the matter?"

The lady looked troubled, pursuing her lips together, until she finally took a deep breath and plunged forward. "This may sound strange, so please do not laugh. I was hoping I can call you 'Emiya' as well, if that is alright with you?"

Emiya's eyes widened. "I-I don't mind. Not at all."

"Good." Arturia showed a brilliant smile that he had never seen before. "I am looking forward to working with you, Emiya."

* * *

The forest was teeming with gigantic trees. It was a wonder that sunlight could even reach the place where Ritsuka and the others erected their temporary base. The clearing they had settled on was a wide space, enough to give way for a large party to position a camp. At the center was a fire pit surrounded by makeshift seats.

"Oh, welcome back, you two! Things went smoothly I hope." Marie set down the small pile of logs near an area filled with tents and approached them.

"Yes, there were no problems on our end. How about Master and the others?" asked Emiya.

"They're still out hunting. But I'm sure they will return before sundown."

Arturia smiled. "It is quite the venture to seek food for such a large group. Master has become quite active, hasn't he, joining the hunting party and whatnot?"

"Yes, I'm quite surprised myself." The young queen looked slightly worried as her thoughts turned into negative ones. Her eyes flitted off towards the direction of the dense trees. "What should I do? I hope they're alright out there."

"Fret not, Robin Hood and Rama are quite dependable in the wilds," commented the mounted king. "Not to mention my own knight, Gawain, is with them. No beast is a match for his sword, so rest assured, Marie, Master is in capable hands."

That seemed to put the other royal's mind at ease. As always, her smile was so sweet and innocent. "You're absolutely right. Well then, why don't we finish things here before they get back?" She suddenly wrapped her slender arms around the tall man's robust one, which took both him and the knight by surprise, before starting to pull him away. "How about it, good sir? We could use a strong man like you to handle the heavy lifting for us."

Arturia's eyes widened as she watched another woman subject the kind Archer to such playful intimacy. The sound of Marie's sweet, yet innocent, voice stung at her heart. She knew it was all just harmless bantering, but the way she said it so easily while clinging to Emiya unnerved her for reasons she could not begin to point out.

"I… uhh… wait, Marie. You're tearing my arm off!" Before the tan-skinned Archer could even let out a voice his mind, the queen already had him dragged away from the Lancer, which the knight wanted to stop but could not find the courage to do so.

"But… I can help too…" Arturia tried to call out, but they were already long gone. She sighed and felt a sense of helplessness take her. As she led her trusted horse to a fitting spot to rest, she wondered whether she should follow her two companions. Her eyes lingered on the direction they went to. In the possibility that her presence might intrude on them, she thought not to be a nuisance and leave the two alone although reluctantly.

Feeling defeated, there was nothing left for her to do besides taking care of Dun Stallion and helping around at a different area. Time was moving so slowly. Perhaps it was restlessness that took her.

She walked around the site, inspecting things and making sure no animals snuck inside, until she found Jeanne d'Arc sat down on a tree stump reading a book. It was not the first time she'd seen her preoccupied like this. She pondered what the saint was so engrossed in now, oftentimes it fiction and other times it was philosophy.

"May I sit down next to you, Jeanne?" Arturia approached hoping for some company to soothe her uneasiness.

The maiden glanced up at her and nodded. "Of course, please."

"Well then, please excuse me." The King of Knights sat down on another wooden stump nearby. She stared longingly at the direction where the two other Servants had disappeared to. Wondering what they were up to, she couldn't help but make various assumptions. A dejected sigh escaped her lips again without her even realizing it, catching the attention of the other Servant.

"What's wrong, Arturia?"

"I… I do not know, Jeanne. Out of nowhere, I just felt crestfallen." She placed a hand at the center of her chest. "Helplessness, that's what I think it is."

Jeanne turned a curious glance at those words. "Do you have any idea what might have brought this on?"

"Well…" The king's cheeks burnt bright red as she turned away from the prying eyes of the saint. "Somehow… I get like this whenever Marie gets involved with Emiya, whenever she gets him tangled in her flippant requests. It's like I feel perturbed by how close they are somehow."

Jeanne closed her book and smiled. A small idea came to her mind from that short description. "Doesn't that mean you are jealous?"

"Jealous?"

"Yes, jealous of Marie perhaps. It's quite easy to see that."

"But why am I jealous? I do not understand." Arturia viewed that simple emotion as if it were some alien concept. In the many years of her reign, her mind was only occupied with thoughts of sustaining her kingdom and preventing an invasion. Strife and conflict always engaged her attention, leaving her with no room to explore herself or the world around her. Though she had Guinevere, it was mostly a shallow relationship lacking in any form of deep, humanly connection. She never envied someone before, not even once.

"It's simple. You simply do not like to see anyone else get close with him, though for what reason, I'm sure you already know yourself."

"But, Master, Gawain, and Rama are quite close with Emiya, and I do not feel discomfort when any of them are together."

Jeanne shook her head at that, finding the obvious flaw in that argument. "This and that are two different things. Arturia, I believe you don't like the thought of another woman around him. Perhaps you've grown very fond of his presence that you can't stand somebody getting in the way."

"I-Is that so… That's… odd. I only think of him as just a friend, like Boudica or you. So it's odd I should be thinking this way." She looked down. What was the reason behind it, she asked herself. Archer was always such a reliable friend to her. In fact, he was a friend to all the Servants. He was always there to listen to all their stories, including hers. But why was she experiencing this now of all times? "Jeanne, have you ever experienced being jealous towards somebody too?"

"Me?! I… W-Well…." Jeanne's eyes went wide. A red tinge painted the entirety of her cheeks. "I guess you can say that."

"How did you deal with it?" Arturia inclined forward to listen intently to the blonde maiden.

"I… well, I just…" Jeanne scrambled for the right words to make her answer. The topic turned toward her situation so suddenly that she didn't have time to prepare, and her heart was not at all ready to be examined. "I'm afraid I cannot give you a suitable response because I simply just let it be without doing anything."

"You're quite well versed in these matters, Jeanne." The king nodded, feeling a great deal of respect for the holy maiden. "Could I ask for your advice on what I should do from here on?"

Jeanne felt conflicted. After all, she was just as inexperienced regarding relationships as the other Servant. But she did know one person might be of help. "Sorry, Arturia, perhaps Master might be able to help you."

The sounds of the forest settled in around the king as she took a leisurely walk around their camp. As she traversed through the wide trail of shrubs at the foot of a very large tree, her thoughts returned back to Archer and what he was doing now that Marie accompanied him. Her heart raced with anxiety though she did not know why exactly. Time was slowing down as she waited for that person to return.

When Ritsuka and the others came back, the rest of the party gathered round to check on their prizes. The young man himself could not compare his catch against the Heroic Spirits' overwhelming trophies, but still he was commended by everyone nonetheless for his efforts. Everyone started preparations for the evening with a specific duty assigned to each individual.

The light of the near-setting sun draped their surroundings amidst the sea of wood.

Arturia approached Ritsuka who was handing off the wild game he just hunted to Mash once the party went their separate ways to take care of something. The sounds of Robin, Rama, and Serenity having a pleasant chat went on as she approached. But as she got even closer, more Servants threatened to get in her way and in the end she was not able to have a talk with him as he was dragged along by the male Servants on some urgent business.

As the day progressed into night, she went around the camp, checking up on the rest of the party. She stopped by the place Emiya was working on, only to find out that he was in charge of preparing this night's dinner from what they hunted. As always, he was like a professional cook, though he disliked being called that. It seemed that he was also putting up a wry face as Tamamo Cat, Marie, and Koutaro urged him on to prepare the fresh, raw meats from inside the animal hides, clearly not something he was used to doing.

She left them alone reluctantly, feeling a pang in her chest which displeased her.

The fire pit was enlivened by Karna, egged on by Ritsuka and Gawain, which nearly resulted in a disaster, and three were scolded by her and the rest of the female Servants.

Once the night sky came into view and a blanket of stars hung over them, the party surrounded the fire and had their small feast.

Arturia found her chance once the rest of the party dispersed. She sat with him on an old log as the fire continued to crackle and dance along with the gentle night breeze.

"Master, can I please have a bit of your time? I promise it won't be long." The king asked with an apologetic tone.

"Sure, what's up?" Ritsuka's carefree attitude and smile was like a breath of fresh air for her.

"I am not sure how to say this, but lately I've grown distraught, specifically regarding Emiya."

Ritsuka raised a brow. "Have you two started fighting again? I thought both of you are finally getting along."

"That's not it. It's more like I feel jealousy," she echoed the words of Jeanne d'Arc. "When he gets involved with the other female Servants, I feel a pang of jealousy setting in my heart. I do not know why I feel this way or what caused this."

"So you yearn for his company?" The young man replied without much hesitation.

"I-In a way, yes."

Ritsuka blinked once after hearing her reply. The gears in his mind turned for a brief instant before coming up with such a simple conclusion that he started having doubts on whether he actually heard her right. But being the trickster he was, he decided to play along for now. "Then the answer is plainly obvious isn't it?"

"I beg your pardon?"

He stood up and faced her with playful grin on his face. "Why not tell him what you just told me right now?"

"B-Because, t-that would mean… I don't want to cause any misunderstanding or anything, but… I can't…" Her hesitation was clear as the red shade covering her face, which only made him smile wider.

"Why not?"

"Then that would mean that I-I… have…"

"See!" Beamed the young man. "You can come up with the answer yourself, Arturia."

"But Master…" The lady's words got stuck in her throat while her mind plunged into a chaotic mess with thoughts concerning Archer and her own friendship with him. She was at a loss for words and could not decide to go from here.

She cherished him deeply, though they started out as very distant colleagues. He gave her a shoulder to lean on when things weren't going well. He was one of the few she trusted with all her being. She could find joy and calm in fighting alongside him or when spending quiet nights at the cafeteria. But the tales that he told her about the world where he came from and the woman who greatly resembled her, and how he treasured their time spent together in that other world, left a great sting in her chest. She could not describe it well. That night when she saw him recall that woman with a forlorn smile on him, it made her feel something akin to what she felt now.

She opened her mouth to speak. Her voice came out quiet. "… I do not know what I should do from here."

"Don't worry, take your time in sorting things out," advised the young man. "When you decide what you want to do, just go for it, Arturia."

They concluded the conversation right then as Ritsuka went on his way.

The camp fell into a lulling silence. The fire at the center had burned out. The Servants which had been drinking at the time were passed out. Although it was nearly impossible for any of them to get drunk, there were methods using magic or exceptionally special liquor.

Archer watched the surroundings from high up a tree, scouting the vicinity for possible dangers. When he confirmed that everything was peaceful and quiet, he stepped down with a soundless descent and started to walk out of the tree line. None of the other Servants seemed to be up, apart from him. However, he had been wondering why he had not seen Lancer in a while, not that he was worried about her. After all, she was quite strong and fully capable of handling herself.

Yet, even with that knowledge, there was a growing uneasiness inside of him that something might be wrong with her. It was perfectly normal for someone to step out and wander around in order to relax. But she had acted oddly during dinner. It was as if she was avoiding him. Something must have been up, he thought. And afterwards, he never saw her again.

The rustle of the giant trees spread throughout the area. Wind howled, echoing across the landscape.

With a bit of uncertainty, he stepped quietly around the camp. He checked each corner and made a mental note of each Servant present. But he couldn't find her anywhere. Even Dun Stallion was nowhere to be found. His worry started to grow. Arturia was strong no doubt, but that didn't stop him from feeling anxious.

"Oh? Are you perhaps looking for your girlfriend?"

"Robin Hood?"

The owner of that carefree voice stepped out from behind a large tent. His expression contained a smirk which Emiya didn't like.

"You've got it all wrong. We aren't like that at all." He retorted

"Seems like that to me. Actually, almost everybody already assumes you two are already in a relationship." The fellow Archer seemed to chew something in one cheek as he voiced out a fairly casual fact.

Emiya turned to avoid the other man's arrogant stare. "That's hardly possible. She has no interest in me at all." There was a sliver of clandestineness in his voice which nearly reached a whisper. It was as if the case was a lost cause.

"You know, you should be more forward." Robin watched his reaction with a mischievous eye. "Or else someone else will make a move on her. She ranks among the most beautiful women in Chaldea after all, so the competition is pretty heated."

"And what exactly makes you think I actually have feelings for her?" He replied with an indifferent tone as he shrugged.

"The way you talk to her is a lot nicer than everyone else."

"That's it?" He sounded surprised by how simple that reason was.

"That's it. If someone uptight like you were to address someone like a princess, then there's little doubt that something is going on between you. Anyway, that's it from me. I just wanted you to hurry up and make a move already cause it's been driving me nuts. Consider this as an advice from one Archer to another." Robin sighed and pointed towards the opposite end of the forest. "I saw her earlier go in that direction. Though what she's up to is anyone else's guess."

The two parted ways, leaving Emiya troubled of the possible rumors which he didn't know existed until now, as well as that so-called advice from the lurker of the Sherwood. Chief among his dilemmas was how he was going to deal with what he was told about Arturia. He didn't deny she was popular among everyone. In truth, he wholeheartedly believed she was the most beautiful among the women in Chaldea. It was not just judging purely based on aesthetics either. Each and every aspect of her was so attractive to him that he felt she was so far out of reach, like a dream he wasn't meant to have.

She was strong, valorous, and yet, she had a soft, caring side to her as well. She looked after Ritsuka and everyone else. Her strong will was what kept him from giving in to his fate as a Counter Guardian.

Like a swift comet, he dashed through the darkness of the thicket, easily gaining distance. The ground beneath him gradually turned rocky with and hints of running stream of water flowed outward. He jumped over one such rivulet. It seemed to glisten and sparkle like glass work.

He found the source shortly after. Sounds of raging water filled the area. A waterfall of modest height loomed over a small, peaceful pond. Obscuring his view, the surrounding boulders and rocks fenced the border between the secluded body of water and the dark forest. Mist pervaded, concealing the ground to a great degree.

Emiya broke his advance, noticing something moving beyond the hazy atmosphere. With the moon hanging over a large opening, the glisten of the water ripples created a beacon for this ephemeral entity's movements. With hair so long and a body with a womanly shaped, the silhouette looked like that of a fairy bathing in transient solitude. A lady of the lake it was. The moment his eyes met this beautiful figure, Emiya couldn't turn himself away. He was absolutely mesmerized.

Yet, as hints of the haze drew away from the spectacle, the gears in his mind started to turn. A feeling in the back of his mind told him that he shouldn't be there. Why it was telling him this now was because that fairy started to solidify in reality and was beginning to resemble a real person and not some being in myth. This person, yet beautiful even in the moonlight, had long, blonde hair and a curvaceous body which frightened him for those facts alone revealed the true identity of the person in question. He really shouldn't be there.

Slowly, slowly he stepped back to leave.

The sound of a twig breaking betrayed his expectations.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!"

The shout alerted his senses. His heart began to race. He wanted to escape and avoid the impending scolding, but he knew as well there was no use in such unsightly actions. He'd rather face the problem head on rather than run away with his tail between his legs.

"Lancer? Is that you?" He stood up facing away from the scene, showing himself from behind a rock.

"E-Emiya? Why are you here?" The voice sounded shocked rather than angry.

"I noticed you disappeared from the camp, so I went out looking for you." Emiya let out a stiff reply, trying not to sound ashamed. "Apologies if I intruded upon you. I shall accept whatever punishment you give me."

"Punish you?!" Arturia yelped in surprise. "No, please don't say that. You did nothing worthy of being punished. But…" There was a slight hesitation in her. "If you be my lookout until I'm done, that would be most appreciated."

"Then... I shall be on watch while you finish."

Arturia nodded. From head to toe, her skin was soaked with the pristine waters. The golden hair she cherished snaked from her back to her chest as she had been washing it before getting interrupted. With cheeks fuming red, she submerged into the cool waters once again for a moment to bathe her entire body before rising up and stepping towards the shore where a piece of fabric she brought with her to dry herself hang from a tree branch with the rest of her clothes folded on the ground below.

His presence registered in her mind. Just beyond that boulder, he was watching the dark forest with his back to her. Though reassuring it was to have him stand guard, she still felt intense embarrassment. It was as if her head was filled with only Emiya.

But her attention turned to something else. They were now alone together. There was no Marie to get in the way, not that she had ill will against that queen.

And certainly that special person Emiya once knew was not here.

Her heart started beating faster as she walked, her hair still loose, hanging behind her with moist shallowly covering its strands. She may not know the reason why, but she just felt that she needed to act.

But what was it that she needed to do? What was it that she wanted?

The King of Knights stopped in her tracks. The radiant moonlight fell upon her visage. Her troubled expression told of her small turmoil. She was a Servant summoned to restore the foundations of humanity, same as her Master's. She had pressed forward with only that goal in mind, fully devoting herself to it. Days gone by and she grew fond of Chaldea as a whole. But the bond she shared with the Archer had something special. It was funny looking back on it now. Besides their initial meeting, their relationship was rocky at the meeting. They often argued and even crossed weapons at certain points. He was an individual who followed what he sought fit, and she was a king and a knight who believed in the solidarity of the entire group. Reining him in was a difficult task.

But through the fondness of his smiles as they partook in meals together, she learnt of a deeper side to him. She liked to watch his back as he prepared his expertise in the mess hall. Though their differences still remained, though they still argued in rare occasions, they acknowledged each other's values. With only those, she felt herself creating a true bond with him.

That special person he had cherished before must have felt the same way.

She stepped lightly without the burden of her armor to impede her. The reason behind her worry was all too clear now. She was afraid that he still thought of that other person, despite her telling him treasure those memories.

Her Master's words rung inside her mind again. In his words: Just throw hesitation out the window already! Though brief, she knew all too well what they actually meant. That might have been what she lacked all along. Much like him, Emiya, and even Marie, she too should just move in what she thought was right.

"Emiya," she voiced when she came out of the secluded area, drawing the attention of the other Servant. "Though I said I wouldn't punish you, I still hope you didn't come all this way in order to just peek at me." Her voice came out cold, though she didn't mean it.

He tried his best to hide it, but his face still grew flustered all the same. "I told you, I was worried that you were nowhere to be seen. If anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'll do."

"Is that so?" She said haughtily with arms akimbo. "You came all the way out here just because of that? It seems you think I'm quite the damsel who can't fend for herself." Before Archer could reply with an excuse of his own, she continued. "But… I am grateful, Emiya. Truly."

As she tried to draw her words out, Emiya stood there speechless while watching her soft expression tremble.

"… Perhaps that is one of the reasons why I like you so much."

Emiya took a moment to register those words. Perhaps a bit of his immature self was starting to show, which he immediately tried to drown out. He was after all a man and knew better than to show such a side to her. He inhaled and steeled himself. "That is surprising… because I feel the same way about you as well. I like you… Arturia."

She glanced up and met his smile. "Do you really mean that?"

"I do," he replied in a gentle tone. "Would I kid around in a situation like this?"

"I wouldn't put it past you."

"Hey, now… that's not nice."

Their laughs echoed throughout the peaceful area.

Relief washed over her, and her heart pounded in her chest. Though explicitly romantic words weren't exchanged between them, they knew what each other meant. And that was truly enough for her. Perhaps in the future they would say it in each other's company. But for now, she was happy. Baby steps, as they called it. "Then shall we take a walk under the moonlight for a while?"

"I would very much like that." He nodded cheerfully. "Master is asleep. We can take our time."

* * *

**Well, that's it for this small one-shot. This is how I imagined things would play out if EMIYA ever met Arturia in her Lancer form, although I had to read up a lot on conversations and stuff on their profile in order to get an idea.**

**Anyway that's it for me. Here's hoping for the next work to get published soon.**


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